What a maintenance plan really sells
A maintenance plan, also called a membership or service agreement, is a yearly promise: you'll come out on a schedule, check the system, and look after the customer first when something breaks. The customer buys peace of mind and priority. You get a reason to be in the house once or twice a year, a list of homes that call you first, and work you can schedule into slow weeks.
The plan is not mainly a profit center on its own. Its value is the relationship and the repeat work, which shows up in customer lifetime value.
What to include, by trade
| Trade | Typical visits | Example inclusions |
|---|---|---|
| HVAC | 2 a year | Cooling check in spring, heating check in fall, filter check, priority booking |
| Plumbing | 1 a year | Water heater flush and inspection, fixture and shut-off check, pressure check |
| Electrical | 1 a year | Panel inspection, GFCI and smoke alarm test, surge protection check |
| Roofing | 1 a year | Inspection after storm season, gutter and flashing check, photo report |
The HVAC timing follows ENERGY STAR's maintenance checklist, which says it's best to check the cooling system in the spring and the heating system in the fall. That gives you a ready-made reason to call members before each season.
On top of the visits, most plans add two or three perks. Pick from: priority scheduling, no trip charge, a set percentage off repairs, or an extended workmanship warranty. Don't stack all of them.
Worked example: pricing a plan
All numbers are examples. Use your own costs.
| Line | Example |
|---|---|
| Visits per year | 2 |
| Time per visit including drive | 1.25 hours |
| Burdened labor rate | $60/hour |
| Labor cost per year | $150 |
| Materials per year (filters, small parts) | $30 |
| Total cost to deliver | $180 |
| Plan price at $25/month | $300/year |
| Gross margin before repair discounts | $120 (40%) |
Now check the discount. If members get 15% off repairs and an average member spends $600 a year on repairs, that discount costs $90, leaving $30. That's thin, so either trim the discount to 10%, raise the price, or accept the plan as a retention tool and count on the repeat work. Run your own numbers through the job pricing and markup calculator.
The scripts
The tech, at the end of a visit
"Ava, the unit's running fine today, but I took a photo of the coil; you can see the buildup. Most of our customers handle this with our maintenance plan: we come out spring and fall, you get first spot on the schedule if it ever quits in a heat wave, and there's no trip charge. Want me to sign you up while I'm here?"
The photo does the selling. The tech is showing, not pushing.
The office, on a booking call
"Before I let you go: since you're having us out anyway, would you like to put that visit on our maintenance plan? It includes this visit and a second one in the fall, and members get priority booking."
On the invoice
Show what the customer would have saved today as a member. For example: "Members pay no trip charge. Today's trip charge: $89." A concrete number beats a brochure.
Renewals and the paperwork
Most plans renew automatically, billed monthly or yearly. Do it cleanly:
- Put the price, what's included, the renewal date and how to cancel in writing before the customer agrees.
- Get a clear yes, such as a signature or a checked box, not a line buried in fine print.
- Send a reminder before an annual renewal charges.
- Make canceling as easy as signing up.
Automatic-renewal rules vary by state, so have your written terms checked for the states you work in.
Book the visits, or lose the member
The fastest way to lose a member is to never show up. If the customer pays for two visits and you only call once, they cancel at renewal and they're right to. Book each visit when the plan starts or a month before it's due, and plan crew capacity for it. Two hundred members with two visits each is 400 visits a year; the tech capacity calculator shows how many tech days that takes. Schedule member visits into your shoulder months, not the week of the first heat wave. Our seasonal marketing guide lays out the calendar.
Common mistakes
- Too many tiers. One or two is plenty.
- A repair discount so deep it wipes out the margin.
- Selling plans in peak season with no capacity to deliver the visits.
- Never calling members to book their visit.
- Vague terms that surprise the customer at renewal.
- Paying techs nothing for plan sales; a small spiff per sign-up keeps it on their mind.
How SWITCHBOARD handles plans
In SWITCHBOARD, maintenance plans renew on their own and book their visits, so members don't fall through the cracks. Techs see on the job whether the customer is a member, and the office sees which visits are coming due. See how it works for HVAC shops.
Questions people ask
How much should I charge for a maintenance plan?
Start from your cost to deliver the visits (labor at your burdened rate plus materials), add your target margin, then subtract what the repair discount will cost. Your price depends on your own costs and market.
How many visits should a plan include?
HVAC plans usually include two, since ENERGY STAR recommends checking cooling in spring and heating in fall. Plumbing, electrical and roofing plans often include one yearly visit.
When is the best time to sell a plan?
At the end of a repair or tune-up, when the tech can show the customer a photo or a reading, and on booking calls for a one-time tune-up.
Should plans renew automatically?
Most do, but put the terms, renewal date and how to cancel in writing, get a clear yes, and check your state's rules on automatic renewals.
Why do members cancel?
Most often because they paid for visits that never got scheduled. Book each visit ahead of time and make sure you have crew capacity to deliver it.
Sources
- Maintenance Checklist - ENERGY STAR (checked November 10, 2026)